Backup generators keep your home and family powered up even if the utility grid goes down. In some cases, the loss of electricity in a home may mean it can’t be occupied until power is restored. This means your family has to inconveniently relocate elsewhere. Options like portable generators for camping and outings must be manually deployed with lengthy extension cords and present hazards such as carbon monoxide poisoning. Additionally, these units generally deliver insufficient output to meet household requirements.
Why Choose Standby Generators Over Portable
Standby generators are permanently installed external units hardwired directly into your home’s electrical panel. Normally, they are placed behind the house on a concrete pad like a central A/C unit. Typically, the generator motor runs on the home’s natural gas or propane supply – a clean fuel seldom interrupted by the loss of utility power. An automatic transfer switch in the system continuously monitors grid power. When an outage is detected, the system automatically energizes and switches household circuits over to generator power. When the utility restores electricity, the system reverts to grid power and shuts down the generator.
Choosing a Generator for Your Home
Sizing a standby generator to your home’s requirements mainly involves deciding among three options:
Critical Circuits: A generator in this category provides sufficient output to maintain certain pre-selected circuits in your home. These might include lighting, communications and cooking/refrigeration. A critical circuits generator provides enough electricity to keep the home habitable but not all the comforts of full utility power.
Managed Power: A managed power generator may power all circuits in your home by cycling between various circuits as the load demand changes. When power is required for a high-demand appliance, for example, the unit may supply power to that circuit by reducing wattage to a lower-demand circuit.
Whole House System: These are generally large, liquid-cooled generators rated at 220 kilowatts or more capacity.A whole house generator supplies all electrical needs to the home, fully replacing utility power. All aspects of normal life continue unaffected by the power outage.
For more information about backup generators in the Frisco or Allen areas, please contact us at Bill Joplin’s Air Conditioning & Heating.
